title: A potential model for studying the plasticity and reprogramming of human epidermal stem cells through preimplantation blastocyst microinjection.
abstract: Microinjection of adult stem cells (ASCs) into blastocysts provides a classic model for studying ASC plasticity. To explore the molecular mechanisms that govern the reprogramming of ASCs, we evaluated the experimental model through microinjection of human epidermal stem cells (hEpiSCs) into mouse blastocysts. Mouse blastocysts underwent regular embryogenesis after microinjection of allogeneic cells, confirmed by morphological observation and embryo cell counting. hEpiSCs survive and integrate into mouse embryos, by monitoring the migration of injected cells at 2, 4, 12, 16 and 24 h. In this xenogeneic system, hEpiSCs could be reprogrammed within 24 h, as evidenced by the silencing of CK15 and Integrin beta 1 gene expression, without activation of Oct4 and Nanog. Microinjection of hEpiSCs into mouse blastocysts provides an efficient model for studying the molecular mechanisms of their plasticity. Moreover, the possibility of inducing pluripotent stem cells without transgenes or viruses can be entertained.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, 54 Xian Lie Nan Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510060, China.
authors.forename: Ruzhang
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Chenjin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Ge
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Xiufeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Bingqian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xuerong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Yuehong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ge
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics; D019070:Cell Lineage / Q000235:genetics*; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology; D065150:Cellular Reprogramming / Q000235:genetics*; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000502:physiology; D000078404:Epidermal Cells; D004817:Epidermis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000637:transplantation*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000637:transplantation*; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000235:genetics; D020868:Gene Silencing / Q000502:physiology; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008845:Microinjections / Q000379:methods; D008954:Models, Biological; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous / Q000379:methods